Sheet conveyance apparatus and sheet conveyance method

Abstract

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a placement part configured such that stacked sheets are disposed on the placement part; a housing including an open/close part and accommodating the placement part, at least a portion of the open/close part being configured to be opened and closed; and a suction unit connected with the housing, and configured to draw gas from an interior of the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet conveyance apparatus comprising:
 a placement part configured such that stacked sheets are disposed on the placement part; 
 a housing including an exterior wall with a first opening and means for opening and closing, the housing accommodating the placement part, at least a portion of the means for opening and closing being configured to be opened and closed; and 
 a suction unit connected to the first opening, and configured to draw gas in an interior of the housing from the first opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air jet unit configured to eject air toward a sheet disposed on the placement part to float an end portion of the sheet; and 
 a holding and conveyance member configured to hold and convey the floated sheet. 
 
     
     
       3. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a controller, operatively connected to the suction unit and the air jet unit, configured to cause the suction unit to draw the gas in the interior of the housing from the first opening while the air jet unit floats the end portion of the sheet and the conveyance member conveys the sheet. 
 
     
     
       4. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a controller, operatively connected to the suction unit and the air jet unit, configured to cause the air jet unit to supply the interior of the housing with the air and causes the suction unit to draw the gas in the interior of the housing from the first opening while a sheet floating operation by the air jet unit is stopped. 
 
     
     
       5. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the suction unit is disposed upstream of the placement part in a conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the sheet. 
     
     
       6. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for opening and closing is disposed upstream of the placement part in a conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the sheet. 
     
     
       7. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the suction unit is disposed upstream of the placement part in a conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the sheet, and 
 the means for opening and closing is disposed upstream of the placement part in the conveyance direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the suction unit is attached to the means for opening and closing and configured to move following opening and closing of the means for opening and closing. 
     
     
       9. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the suction unit is disposed upstream of the placement part in a conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the sheet, and 
 the means for opening and closing is disposed laterally with respect to the placement part in the conveyance direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a limiting part disposed upstream of the sheet disposed on the placement part in a conveyance direction in which the conveyance member conveys the sheet, and configured to restrict the sheet from moving upstream in the conveyance direction, wherein 
 the suction unit is disposed upstream of the limiting part in the conveyance direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction unit has a connection port configured to be connected with the housing and is removable from the housing. 
     
     
       12. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filter configured to remove foreign matter from the gas drawn by the suction unit. 
 
     
     
       13. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a filter configured to remove foreign matter from the gas drawn by the suction unit, wherein 
 the suction unit has a connection port configured to be connected with the housing and is removable from the housing, and 
 the filter is attached in the suction unit and is removable from the suction unit through the connection port. 
 
     
     
       14. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a suction conveyance belt with a plurality of holes and configured to draw gas from the plurality of holes to hold a sheet of the stacked sheets, and convey the sheet; 
 a chamber inside the suction conveyance belt and connected to the plurality of holes; and 
 an internal duct connecting the chamber to a second opening in the exterior wall of the housing, 
 wherein the suction unit is also connected to the second opening. 
 
     
     
       15. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an internal blower configured to draw gas from the chamber to the internal duct and supply gas from the internal duct to the chamber. 
 
     
     
       16. The sheet conveyance apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a controller, operatively connected to the suction unit and the internal blower, configured to cause the internal blower to supply gas to the chamber to blow out gas from the plurality of holes of the suction conveyance belt, and cause the suction unit to draw the gas in the interior of the housing from the second opening.